Northland student wins inaugural TVNZ diversity scholarship
Title -- 5396 NZ: Northland student wins inaugural TVNZ diversity scholarship
Date -- 27 March 2008
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- TVNZ/AUT 27/03/08
Copyright - TVNZ/AUT
Status -- Unabridged
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NORTHLAND STUDENT WINS INAUGURAL TVNZ DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP
http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/niusbeat/080327_TVNZschol.shtml
AUCKLAND (TVNZ/AUTPacific Media Watch): A young Bay of Islands College graduate has won the inaugural Television New Zealand Journalism Diversity Scholarship at AUT University this year.
Murielle Baker, 17, who contributed articles for a leading daily newspaper last year and has written for school publications, has embarked on the three-year Bachelor of Communication Studies.
As a prefect, she was involved in many school and community projects, including fundraising for the reconstruction of Kawakawa's steam engine.
Of Ngapuhi and Pakehadescent, she has recently been involved in the Oromahoe Trust alongside her grandmother to learn about iwi organisations and she has been taking Te Reo Maori lessons.
The scholarship winner was announced last night by Communications Minister Trevor Mallard at a TVNZ function.
The three-year scholarship, which is valued at more than $30,000, is open to New Zealanders who are of Maori, Pacific Island or Asian ethnicity who are accepted into the BCS programme and meet strong community and media criteria. All fees are paid for during the three year degree and paid holiday work is offered at TVNZ.
Two other candidates were short listed for this year's scholarship.
Imogen Leilua, 18, a graduate of Howick College with Samoan heritage, won a silver award for service and leadership last year and was captain of the school's senior netball team. She was the top Year 12 media studies student at her college.
Matiu Workman, 19, Ngati Kahungunu Ki Wairarapa and a former head boy at Taita College, spent last year on the social sciences programme at AUT before transferring to communication studies. As well as being involved in extensive community activities, he has been a busker and has had walk-on parts in TV programmes such as Shortland Street.
TVNZ's chief executive Rick Ellis said the scholarship was about getting more people who are part of contemporary New Zealand producing news and current affairs and having them on screen.
“Given the rapidly changing composition of our country it's important that we tell as wide a variety of stories as possible from our different communities. It's about having a variety of perspectives,” Ellis said.
The initiative made good business sense.
“The more diverse the newsroom, the more diverse the perspectives, the more diverse the stories we will tell, the more diverse and bigger the audiences we will attract, the more relevant we will remain as New Zealand's largest public broadcaster.”
Associate Professor David Robie, director of the Pacific Media Centre and School of Communication Studies diversity domain leader, welcomed the scholarship, congratulating TVNZ on making such a positive initiative towards media diversity.
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